Fastest Prize 1964
The prize for the fastest was a trotting race , which has been held annually on the trotting track in Gelsenkirchen (today GelsenTrabPark ) since 1958 .
prehistory
Three horses from the Gelsenkirchen-based Kurier stable competed in the 7th prize for the fastest. The favorite was the American-bred seven-year-old stallion Torrid Song , who had been the most successful German racehorse the year before. In addition to the French- bred stallion Niha , it was above all Passiflore , the guest mare from France, who were given the first chances of victory. The decisive factor for this was that her trainer Eddy Freundt had chosen the French mare, and Litz , who had been successful in the two previous years and whom he also trained, handed over to Willy Roth. The day before, Freundt announced to experts that Passiflore would win.
Race course
The endowment (total race price) was DM 30,000 . The race distance was set at 2,000 meters, with Torrid Song , Litz , Niha , Mon Poulot and Passiflore receiving a distance allowance of 40 meters. Together with his stable mate Litz and the permit son Gerrol , Torrid Song was in the stable bet (a common win rate for all horses of an owner) at the totalizer 20:10 (today 2.0 for 1). Passiflore's odds were slightly higher.
The race started at 4:20 p.m. Passiflore got off to a good start. As they fly (already underway) from the band (starting point 2040 meter mark) came, she had already before the match following the leading group of Minor , Gerrol , too much and Borneo found. In fifth position she ran through the stable arch (then left course) in front of Niha and Torrid Song . Eddy Freund then attacked the leading horses at the exit of the arch. At the end of the other side he had taken the lead. Now Torrid Song was challenged with Hans Frömming in the sulky, but had to run the further way (2nd lane) in the final arc against Gerrol . At the beginning of the home stretch the race was already decided, because Eddy Freund could just let Passiflore run. Although there was another attack attempt by Torrid Song, but Passiflore won with a length ahead of Gerrol with a short head in front of Torrid Song . With a gap of 7½ lengths Niha crossed the finish line in fourth.
The race prizes (value) were divided into 14,500 - 5,500 - 2,500 - 2,000 - 1,500 - 1,000 DM among the first six places. In addition, Gerrol was awarded a performance bonus of DM 3,000 as the best national.
Follow-up
The award ceremony was held by Minister Dr. Josef Efferts (Landtag NRW), the board of directors and the race secretary. Also present was the French trainer Robert de Wulf, with whom Passiflore was previously in care.
Passiflore won in a kilometer time of 1: 19.1 (1 min 19.1 seconds) and was just as fast as the best time set by the two-time winner Fifi beau Gosse (Stall Kurier) in the year it was founded. The fact that there was no improvement in time was attributed to the somewhat softened track that had suffered due to the rainy weather.
Passiflore won to the winning goal of 28:10 (28 Mark profit for 10 Mark stake). In the place bet , Passiflore paid 18:10, Gerrol 30:10 and Torrid Song 12:10. The two-way bet paid for Passiflore - Gerrol 388: 10 and in the three-way bet for the number combination 5 - 3 - 9 ( Passiflore - Gerrol - Torrid Song ) 1,240 marks were paid out for a stake of 10 marks.